The NHS pension is one of the most valuable parts of your pay, and one of the least explained. This calculator estimates what you build in the 2015 scheme, shows what you pay in each month, and lets you see how a decision today changes the pension you retire on.

We are a translator, not the authority. For the official figure on your record, NHSBSA and your Total Reward Statement are the source. What we add is a clear, sourced view you can model yourself.

Estimate your NHS pension

Pick your band and region to start, then open the calculator to model your pension: what you contribute now, and what it builds for retirement.

Entry

HCAS zone: None

Take-home pay

£20,401/ yr

Gross £25,272 / yr

What this calculator shows

  • An estimate of your 2015 scheme pension at retirement
  • Your contribution tier and what it costs each month
  • The effect of contributions on your take-home pay
  • How a different retirement age changes the figure
  • The lump sum you can take, and the trade-off against annual pension

The three NHS pension schemes

The NHS has run three schemes: the 1995 and 2008 sections of the old final-salary scheme, and the 2015 career-average scheme. Since April 2022 every active member builds 2015 benefits, whatever they were in before.

Which scheme holds your earlier service matters for when you can retire and how your pension is worked out. We cover the differences in the NHS pension schemes explained, and the McCloud remedy for service between 2015 and 2022. This calculator models the 2015 scheme; for a 1995 or 2008 final-salary projection, ask NHSBSA for an estimate.

What you pay in

Your contribution rate depends on how much you earn, and it steps up through a set of tiers. A pay rise can move you into a higher tier, which trims the net gain. The calculator picks the right tier for your pay and shows the monthly cost. For the current tiers and rates, see NHS pension contributions, drawn from NHSBSA.

Model your retirement

See your projected pension and lump sum at retirement, change your retirement age and how much you commute, and weigh paying in more now against the income it buys later.

Open calculator

What changes your pension

In the 2015 scheme you build a slice of pension each year, based on that year’s pay, and the total is revalued to keep pace over your career. Three things move the final figure most: the years you pay in, your pensionable pay, and the age you retire.

Retiring before your normal pension age reduces the yearly amount, because it is paid for longer. You can also exchange some pension for a larger tax-free lump sum (commutation). The calculator lets you try each of these and see the result, rather than guess.

Official pension estimates

Our figure is an estimate to help you plan and compare choices. The official record of your pension sits with NHSBSA. Check your pension estimate and Total Reward Statement for the exact figures, and speak to a regulated adviser before any decision that turns on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. This one is free with no sign-up. For the official figure on your record, use your Total Reward Statement or ask NHSBSA for an estimate.

The 2015 scheme. Since April 2022 every active member builds 2015 benefits. See the three NHS pension schemes. For a 1995 or 2008 final-salary projection, use an NHSBSA estimate.

Yes. It shows your contribution tier, what it costs you each month, and the effect on your take-home pay.

Yes. Change your retirement age and the estimate updates, so you can see the effect of retiring earlier or later.

Yes. It shows the pension and the lump sum you can take at retirement, and lets you weigh a larger lump sum against a smaller annual pension.

It depends on your pensionable pay and your years in the scheme. The calculator estimates your 2015 benefits; NHSBSA holds the official figure for your record.
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